breathe August/September 22

AUG/SEP 22 #6

Your employee assistance programme pages 2-3 Navigating through the menopause and why it’s important to talk about it page 18

Gemma Atherley: Competing in the Commonwealth Games 2022 pages 4-5

hello from the wellbeing team!

For tips on improving your health and wellbeing, plus where to find support, look no further than Breathe magazine, your quarterly wellbeing magazine.

You’ll also hear from colleagues across the organisation about what wellbeing means to them.

do with your emotional wellbeing.

It’s a completely free, confidential and impartial service. Simply give them a call or contact them via e-counselling and let them know what issue you’re facing and they’ll talk to you about the guidance, information or support they can offer, which can include up to 12 counselling sessions.

What can you get help with?

Be Supported service: for whatever issue you're facing Welcome to your 24/7 confidential support service. Sometimes, daily life can seem full of challenges. So it’s reassuring to know you’ve got somewhere to turn when you need reliable information or support, and someone to talk to when things don’t run as smoothly as you’d like.

The Be Supported team offers expert guidance on everyday matters and is there for information and support with more serious problems too.

Through Be Supported you can get guidance when you’re experiencing a medical issue or when you need to talk about something to

AXA’s LifeManagement™ team is available through the Be Supported telephone line or via the website and can offer practical, impartial information and support on everyday matters ranging from financial and legal matters (such as dealing with debt, buying a house and consumer rights), to home and family issues. Here are some of the questions the team has helped with: • Why is buying a house so stressful? How do I avoid the pitfalls?

• I’ve lost control of my teenager and I feel helpless. Am I? • I’m struggling with caring for my elderly mother. Where can I get help?

• Can you help me gain control of my finances? I’m worried about debt.

• My child is being bullied at school.

What can I do?

3 The LifeManagement™ team is available between 8am and 11pm, Monday to Thursday, and 8am to 8pm on Fridays.

Challenging situations Whatever situation you’re facing, you can call the Be Supported team for support from their qualified practitioners. You can call them about as many different issues as you need – they’re there 24/7 to take your call.

Just talking about the problem over the phone can feel like a huge step forward.

Medical concerns Simply call the Health at Hand service and receive support to help reduce the stress of your medical worries. Whether you’re calling because you have late night worries about your child’s health, or you have some questions that you forgot to ask your GP, it’s likely that the team can provide you with the information and help you are looking for.

Managerial concerns If you manage people, you can receive practical and impartial advice to help you with your role through the Managerial Support service. Whether you’re calling about disciplinary action or redundancy, it’s likely that the team will be able to provide you with the information and help you need.

Health at Hand telephone line:

0800 003 004

Be Supported telephone line:

0800 072 7072 Be Supported online: Click this link and use the following log in details.

Contact us

Username: governmentofjersey Password: supported

Rob Dimsdale, Interim OD Business Partner for Wellbeing E: r.dimsdale@gov.je Olivia Gill, Wellbeing Consultant E: o.gill2@gov.je Luana Esteves, Wellbeing Assistant E: l.esteves@gov.je Ben Williams, AXA Physiologist E: ben.williams@axahealth.co.uk

Competing in the Commonwealth Games 2022 Gemma Atherley

ASSISTANT ECONOMIST ECONOMY

Wellbeing Consultant and editor of Breathe, Olivia, caught up with Assistant Economist and competitive swimmer, Gemma, to find out about how she’s getting ready for the Commonwealth Games 2022.

The Games take place in Birmingham between 29 July and 8 August 2022.

Q: I’m interested to learn more about you!

Tell me about how your love for swimming came about?

A: I started swimming lessons when I was a few years old because my parents knew it was important to learn to swim when you live on an Island. I joined Tigers when I was seven to start training with the competitive squads. I wasn’t very good at other team sports when I was younger.

I’m still not now, so I just kept swimming!

Once I realised it could mean competing around the world and later studying in the US, it really became something that I fell in love with. I enjoy pushing myself and swimming is great for doing that.

Q: What does your daily routine look like when you’re in training? How do you balance your athletic responsibilities and the other areas of your life?

A: I usually swim before work between 5.30 and 7.30am and then either go back to the pool or the gym in the afternoon from 4 to 6pm. I have Sundays off, which is very much needed. But honestly, I couldn’t say that my life has balance.

Finding that balance is something I’m looking forward to next year when I start to wind down my swimming.

Q: What are your goals for the Games?

How do you feel when you achieve these, and how do you feel when you don’t?

A: As an athlete, the goal is always to be better than you have been before and set personal best times.

When you swim personal bests, it always feels like the hard work has paid off. But when you don’t, sometimes it just wasn’t your day and that’s not a reflection of you not working hard enough, but an opportunity to learn from it. So that’s my goal for the Games, set personal bests and be better than I was at the last Games. I’m also really looking forward to racing relays with the rest of the Jersey team and watching our junior swimmers compete at their first Games.

Q: In your opinion, does an athlete have to have a healthy lifestyle – in body and mind?

And if so, what does that look like for you?

A: It’s always important to take care of your health, particularly if you want to compete in any sport. I try to eat a good balanced diet with

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lots of home cooked meals, fruit and vegetables, although I do like desserts. Sleep is also really important for recovery so I try to get as much as I can, which is hard when you wake up at 4.30am.

I also try to prioritise having time to myself and relaxing when I can because it’s easy to get caught up in trying to do everything all of the time.

Q: How is the transition from training in the pool to being at your desk as an Assistant Economist?

A: I actually like training in the morning (when I’ve had enough sleep)! I think it sets up my day nicely and by the time I’m at my desk I’m pretty awake. It was tough for me to transition from a student to having a full-time job as I couldn’t take a nap after my morning swim before lectures anymore. And it’s harder to prioritise your recovery when you’ve got to be at a desk for seven plus hours a day. But I think I’ve got used to it and the Economy Department doesn’t seem to mind when I look drenched in the mornings or that my backpack smells like chlorine.

Q: Is there anything that helps you stay motivated? What advice would you give to someone wanting to achieve something?

A: I’m quite a motivated person. Once I decide I’m going to do something I work hard to achieve it. For the Commonwealth Games, it’s such an honour to represent your country at an international competition like this as it’s something most people won’t get to do. I think that in itself is great motivation. I think it’s hard sometimes to separate achievement from the process of working towards the goal. The advice I would give is that sometimes embracing the process is just as important as achieving the goal, so taking steps every day and setting yourself up for success are important.

Wellbeing…

What this means to us

Charlotte Bisson

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Wellbeing is different for us all but often encompasses lots of joint environmental factors. Simply put, it’s ‘how we’re doing’.

I, just as everyone, have times when I am feeling good and other times when I can feel that I need to do something extra to make myself feel a bit better. I know that these times tend to be when there is a part of my life I can’t control, such as after attending an interview and I’m waiting on the outcome, or as the evenings and mornings become darker and it’s harder to get out of bed in the morning. Here are some of the things I do to keep me feeling good…

Spending time with others allows me to share experiences, build self-worth and provides emotional support and connection. Recently for me this has looked like a weekend in London seeing Ed Sheeran with my mum and sister, enjoying BBQs in the sun with friends or catching up on the finale of Stranger Things with my boyfriend.

I also find exercise a really good tool to help myself feel better.

Whether this is going to the gym and seeing progress with my current goals or whether it’s enjoying the warmer evenings with walks, it all helps to increase those ‘feel good’ endorphins.

Learning a new skill is a great way to boost self-confidence and build a sense of purpose. Being a newly qualified Speech and Language Therapist, I’ve just completed a Makaton Signing course. Thanks to Covid, living in Jersey no longer acts as a barrier to accessing many courses and there’s now a greater choice of online courses than ever. So, I get to learn more, increase my wellbeing, and add to my CV at the same time.

I also work as a Sessional Youth Worker for the Jersey Youth Service a couple of evenings a week and believe giving back to the community helps to open my mind to others and makes me appreciate what I have in my life, something I’m sure we all take for granted some of the time.

And of course, every time, without fail, I’m happy when there’s chocolate around!

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Rob Sainsbury

ACTING DIRECTOR GENERAL CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE, EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Having worked in healthcare for more than 26 years as a nurse, manager and director, I assumed I knew a thing or two about wellbeing, both for myself and others. Reflecting on recent experiences since the pandemic, I realise now there are many ways that wellbeing isn’t front and centre of our minds.

It’s clear to see the pandemic has impacted on wellbeing in so many ways, and, with the more recent experiences in relation to cost of living pressure, it’s evident now more than ever that we need to take care of ourselves, and each other.

Going into my new role as Director General for Children, Young People, Education and Skills, I continue to see so many examples of how our teams are considering better ways to support wellbeing. Almost every head boy or head girl I’ve met on visiting our schools will reference how we need to ‘look out for each other’ and how their leadership role must be mindful of others, and how they feel and when they may need support. This is a great example of how our children and young people in many ways can lead the way in care and thought about their own and others wellbeing.

I recently attended our first Jersey Children’s Day, and my reflections after the event really made me feel that almost everything about that event signalled a recognition of wellbeing. From the many stands and supporters (there are too many to mention), it was clear to see that there was a primary focus on friendship, collaboration, partnership, care and understanding.

This is at the heart of wellbeing for me, and I’m reminded every day how very lucky we are to have Islanders with such a sense of community and care.

For me, wellbeing is about loving and caring for yourself, so that you’re also able to do that for others too. In my case that can be my husband, my dogs, my family, my friends, my colleagues and of course the Islanders who, as a public servant, I have a duty to support.

Washington Gwatidzo SENIOR CHANGE MANAGER

HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND BLACK, ASIAN AND MINORITY ETHNIC (BAME) CHAIR

When I consider wellbeing a lot of things come to mind, and with current research, it can be very difficult to appreciate what works for you.

I, however, consider my own personal wellbeing to be based on tranquillity brought about by my environment.

The world is complex and there are areas that we don’t have control over, and at times this can become unsettling. I focus on the things I can influence such as dealing with pressure from work, financial issues or even family challenges.

As a person who identifies with the BAME community I appreciate how getting in touch with my roots and home comforts supports my wellbeing. Having access to people who share and understand my background is key to building relationships where I’m treated as an equal and unique. Positive relationships are important to settling in a community, be it social or professional, and being able to share my culture is important to me.

Through the BAME network this has been a theme that has come through more often than not. It supports people new to the Island settle and the ability to find those things that give them home comforts, this may be a certain type of food, music, or even accents.

My go-to therapy is music, comedy and food, as well as exploring different cultures. African by background, I love a barbeque with good music and food, which always gives me the opportunity to explore food from different cultures.

I have recently challenged myself to engage more in sport and have taken on swimming and also tennis once again. This not only supports my physical wellbeing but my mental wellbeing as well. The pandemic has taught me to go back to basics in managing my wellbeing in a world of so much uncertainty.

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Helena Mangan SENIOR MANAGER

BACK TO WORK AND STUDENT FINANCE, CUSTOMER AND LOCAL SERVICES

What does wellbeing mean to me? I’ve been thinking about this since being asked to contribute my thoughts and have found myself being much more conscious of what I might define as a ‘wellbeing’ moment. Overall, for me it’s achieving the balance between providing a safe and happy home for our family and maintaining genuine job satisfaction. I’m incredibly grateful to have a gorgeous family (most of the time!) and to hold a role that continues to challenge and reward me and, as much as I love my family, sustains me and keeps me sane!

My wellbeing moments this week, in no particular order, were taking the dogs to the beach and watching them take off across the sand, celebrating a longterm jobseeker’s new job offer, watching our daughter perform in her dance show, enjoying my team’s success in the recent CLS awards and the family afternoon out to see the new Minions film at the cinema…not in suits!

There’s a special something about most people who choose to enter civil service, a desire to give something back to society, and being surrounded by such amazing people every day absolutely contributes to all our wellbeing. Within Back to Work, looking out for each other is of paramount importance; knowing our colleagues, what makes each person tick, what challenges they may be facing and hopefully playing to their strengths, all contributes to a very successful team. We embraced the chance to hold our Team Jersey High Performing Team session earlier in the year and have continued to tap into the improvements identified, through a working group that still meets each month, making sure that all commitments are delivered. There’s an active social element to the team too and we have a crew participating in the Dragonboat race in September. We’re already half-way to our fundraising target!

During COVID, I took advantage of the empty roads to achieve a long-held ambition to be able to cycle on roads – I’d never had the confidence before to ride alongside cars. Nowadays, there’s rarely a more satisfying feeling than zipping past the traffic on my bike on my way to work!

One in every 100 deaths worldwide is the result of suicide. It can affect every one of us. Each and every suicide is devastating and has a profound impact on those around them. However, by raising awareness, reducing the stigma around suicide and encouraging well-informed action, we can reduce instances of suicide around the world.

World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of suicide and to promote action through proven means that will reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts globally.

The theme this year is ‘Creating Hope Through Action’. It’s a reminder that there’s an alternative to suicide and aims to inspire confidence and light in all of us; that our actions, no matter how big or small, may provide hope to those who are struggling. Preventing suicide is often possible and you’re a key player in its prevention. Through action, you can make a difference to someone in their darkest moments - as a member of society, as a child, as a parent, as a friend, as a colleague or as a neighbour. We can all play a role in supporting those experiencing a suicidal crisis or those bereaved by suicide.

By creating hope through action, we can signal to people experiencing suicidal thoughts that there’s hope and that we care and want to support them.

How can you help?

REACH IN You can help give someone hope by showing that you care. All of us can play a role, no matter how small. We may never know what we do that makes a difference. You don’t need to tell them what to do or have solutions, but simply making the time and space to listen to someone about their experiences of distress or suicidal thoughts can help. Small talk can save lives and create a sense of connection and hope in somebody who may be struggling.

ENCOURAGE UNDERSTANDING Stigma is a major barrier to help-seeking. Changing the narrative around suicide through the promotion of hope can create a more compassionate society where those in need feel more comfortable in coming forward to ask for help. We can all do something to live in a world where suicide is recognised and we can all do something to help prevent it.

SHARE EXPERIENCES The insights and stories of people with a lived experience of suicide can be extremely powerful in helping others understand suicide better and encourage people to support someone, and for individuals to reach out for help themselves. It’s really important that the person sharing their story knows how to do so in a way that’s safe for them and for those who hear their story.

Watch now – Step closer and help to connect someone to life.

If you or somebody else is in immediate danger, call 999.

Accident and Emergency Department - 01534 442264 Samaritans – 116 123

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My experience with suicide 10 years ago, I tried to take my own life.

I could not see a way out.

I felt trapped and couldn’t see how things would get better. I lied to those who asked me if I was ok, I just didn’t know how to open up and say “I need help!”. All in quick succession, I was made redundant from my job, my relationship broke up and as a result, I fell months behind with my rent. Everything seemed so overwhelming, and I didn’t believe things would change or I would find myself a way out of this place. One day it all got too much, and I tried to take my own life.

After my suicide attempt, it was an uphill battle to try to cope with life in general. It was two steps forward, one step back, but beginning to open up to those around me was the turning point, and where I began to get the support I needed.

I met Deputy Richard Rondel and he helped me get back on my feet and he became a real friend to me.

Richard introduced me to the St Helier Battle of Flowers community and here I ended up becoming Chair for a couple of years. I also began to help with events for the Portuguese Twinning Committee. Here I built connection with others, began to find my purpose again and slowly built my confidence to look for a job. I was rebuilding my life and my mental health was improving.

I began to spend more time with

Bruno Sousa HR ADVISOR

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICE

my friends in the evenings, I found new hobbies, such as playing darts.

I spent more time with family and started to introduce some reflection time to my day. I couldn’t have done this without my loved ones around me. Richard and my partner Debbie gave me huge strength and now I have my beautiful baby, Sienna, to remind me what a gift life is.

I use my experience to help others, with sensitivity and without judgment. It’s ok to talk and things will get better, even if it feels impossible at the time. I don’t feel scared anymore and being open has helped me to achieve so much.

I now speak openly about my issues without any concerns of what others might think or say, because I know there is hope.

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Brought to you by

We recommend… top tips for

exercise and increasing fitness

Top Tip #1 Find what you enjoy so exercise doesn’t feel like a chore. You don’t have to go running everyday if you’d prefer to walk or swim. Get friends and family involved if that increases the enjoyment factor.

Top Tip #2 Improve your relationship with exercise if it isn’t something you typically enjoy. Try to focus on how you feel before and after. And if you don’t feel better, ask yourself if there’s something else you’d enjoy more, or if what you’re doing is too difficult.

Top Tip #3 Set yourself SMART goals to help keep you on track. Your goals need to be specific to you, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. For example, your goal might be to improve fitness by reaching the recommended guidelines for physical activity, so your SMART goal might be ‘I will do a brisk walk for 30 minutes, three times a week for the next two weeks’.

Top Tip #4 Build up gradually. Whatever fitness level you’re starting at, it’s important to progress slowly from your current activity level. For example, with the SMART goal above you may then increase your brisk walk to 35 minutes or four days per week.

Top Tip #5 Set yourself SMART goals to help keep you on track. Your goals need to be specific to you, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. For example, your goal might be to improve fitness by reaching the recommended guidelines for physical activity, so your SMART goal might be ‘I will do a brisk walk for 30 minutes, three times a week for the next two weeks’.

Top Tip #6 Remember that your fitness journey is unique to you, but who we surround ourselves with and the media content we consume can be a source of negativity. If you find yourself feeling bad about your journey, try and limit that source of negativity and instead consume media that’s uplifting, confidence boosting, and motivational to you.

An initiative by Jersey Sport to get more Islanders, more active, more often.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @movemorejersey

Move More Jersey aims to promote the importance of physical activity and the role it plays in our mental and physical health. You can get involved in their RunTogether programme, open water and indoor swimming programmes, Learn to Ride programme, Breeze and Guided rides, a variety of walks for all levels around the island, and the Exercise Referral Programme.

‘Know Your Numbers’ health assessment You’re invited to book in for a free and confidential health check which will give you the chance to find out your key health measure and receive tips on ways to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Where AXA Health office, Second Floor Charles House, Charles Street, St Helier, JE2 4SF.

What’s involved Appointments take 15 minutes and include the following checks:

• • • • • • • • •

• • • • • •

Height Weight Waist circumference Blood pressure Resting heart rate Blood glucose (sugar) (this involves a fingertip blood test) • Cholesterol (this involves a fingertip blood test).

We’d suggest fasting, excluding water, for four hours beforehand to make sure you get accurate blood glucose and cholesterol readings.

When Appointments are available from 9am to 4pm on the following dates: 31 August 15 September 21 September 22 September 23 September 27 September 28 September 29 September 30 September

How to book Email Ben Williams, your AXA Physiologist, to arrange your health assessment.

E: ben.williams@axahealth.co.uk

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Get involved! It's the

WITH MACMILLAN - 30 SEPTEMBER 2022 Macmillan Jersey supports anyone affected by cancer and those supporting them.

One in two people will hear the words “you have cancer” in their lifetime. At Macmillan Jersey, their vision is that everybody affected by cancer in Jersey will have access to emotional, practical and wellbeing support through their preferred route of contact.

Support will be provided in a way that meets people’s individual needs, from diagnosis and beyond, and from whichever source is best placed.

Macmillan’s mission is to play a key role in supporting people affected by cancer and their loved ones while helping to shape the Island’s strategy for cancer care.

Their cancer support and wellbeing centre is located at the Lido Medical centre and is open 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

There’s no need for an appointment - you can just drop in. All of the support services are completely free and confidential. To find out more about Macmillan Jersey, visit their website or follow them on social media.

If you’d like to give something back by supporting Macmillan, you may be able to use your employee volunteering allowance (up to 22 hours a year, pro-rata) to get involved. Macmillan Jersey, is one of the many organisations we’re partnering with in Our People, Our Community volunteering progamme. Please note that your line manager must approve your volunteering request before you commit to an activity. You can find more information about our volunteering policy on My States or by emailing volunteering@gov.je.

By pre-registering on our volunteering platform (Uniti), you’ll receive an update to let you know when you can browse the volunteer opportunities available.

Sometimes we can all feel like things are getting on top of us. That's why your organisation have partnered with us to give you exclusive access to Thrive: Mental Wellbeing, a clinically effective app for the prevention, early detection and management of anxiety, depression and stress.

Introducing....

THRIVE: MENTAL WELLBEING The only NHS approved mental health app for organisations.

Tackles common stressors including sleep, bereavement, work issues and more.

Screens for anxiety and depression using NHS approved assessments.

Signposts to external support services - users can seek immediate help directly from the app Personalised data tracking within the progress section.

WHAT'S IN THE APP? CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) programme The ability to seek further support with the touch of a button Over 100+ hours of content including a range of stress reducing sessions A progress journal to help you keep track of your moods and stressors

NHS APPROVED

“

“

This app is fantastic. I've found it helps keep my anxiety much CALMER and am able to MANAGE MY STRESS so much better.

The app has useful hints and tips to help you, as well as exercises, they are all very ACCESSIBLE AND EASY TO FOLLOW

Thrive: Mental Wellbeing is available NOW through your employer!

GET THE HELP YOU NEED Thrive can be beneficial in many ways allowing you to do what works best for you. We recommend that you follow the CBT process and unlock sessions as you go.

Learn how to build resilience against stress, anxiety and depression at a time and place that suits you. If you're in need of further support Thrive allows you to access this through the app.

1. Download the Thrive: Mental Wellbeing app from your Apple or Android app store - or scan the QR code.

2. Sign up using your email address, a password of your choice, and your company access code T21201. Then follow the steps to confirm your account.

3. Return back to the app, log in and enjoy!

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CAFE

Navigating through the menopause and why it’s important to talk about it

By Adoni Mosquera-Valencia

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION CONSULTANT PEOPLE AND CORPORATE SERVICES

"70% of women don’t make their employer aware that they’re experiencing symptoms, despite 41% saying it affects their job. " Rachel Weiss, founder of Rowan Consultancy and Menopause Café My Experience with the menopause Little did I know that the cause for losing my lustrous thick black hair and having dry skin was the big M. I spent around two years looking for the cause of my ailments, starting from sleep deprivation and mood swings to weight gain, and unfortunately that wasn’t all. My life at work was totally affected by the menopause but I was the master at hiding it well. I had many scary moments in which I couldn’t recall names or important information. However, I always attributed it to being stressed. My visits to the doctor were always futile, either because I wrongly self-diagnosed or because my doctor failed to recognise the symptoms. Whatever it was, menopause was never mentioned, and I must admit I never talked to any of my friends about what I was going through. Accepting that I was menopausal was like admitting I was

getting old, so I navigated the first part of the journey in silence. It only started to make sense when some of my colleagues discussed their symptoms and why it can be mis-diagnosed.

Looking back, I wonder why the subject was never discussed among friends. Was it because those women were having the same conflict, or just embarrassed to share their situation?

Why talk?

After years of dealing with the challenges on my own, I learnt that discussing menopause would have enabled me to find solutions and support.

My experience would have been different if I had been brave enough to speak up. The impact of silence and ignorance about menopause can be devastating, so I encourage everyone to join the conversation.

What is our organisation doing?

The Menopause Café is an employee-led network and was created to help increase awareness and understanding around the menopause, and to inspire and motivate colleagues to start the conversation. The aim is to create an inclusive workplace where colleagues feel confident to raise issues about their symptoms and ask for support and adjustments when needed. If you want to join the café, please email dei@gov.je

Dates for the Diary AXA Webinars Physical activity and health – Friday 12 August – 12pm

ADD TO CALENDAR

Topics covered include: • Understanding the difference between physical activity and exercise • How to overcome barriers to activity • How to ‘stick with it’ and stay motivated • How exercise benefits the body and mind.

Feelgood Health – Thursday 29 September – 12pm ADD TO CALENDAR

Topics covered include: • How to explore the idea of happiness within yourself and identify your ‘feelgood’ • What motivation is • How to form goals and health habits • What can you do to help yourself and those around you

THRIVE Webinars

Each webinar is led by one of the experienced team with an open Q&A at the end to give you the opportunity to ask them anything. They’ve got amazing guest expert speakers lined up who cover a range of exciting topics.

Building resilience with Thrive – Wednesday 17 August – 11am Hosted by Jonty Rose, Business Psychologist and Richard Middleton, Senior Relationship Manager at Thrive.

BOOK YOUR PLACE

• What is resilience?

• How can it help?

• Thrive: mental wellbeing app demonstration showcasing how techniques in the app can help you build your resilience

World Suicide Prevention Day – Thursday 8 September – 12pm Hosted by Dr Andres Fonseca, Consultant Psychiatrist and Co-Founder of Thrive, joined by guest speakers.

• In aid of World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) • Exclusive guest speakers bringing knowledge and experience

Fitting wellbeing into your schedule with Thrive – Wednesday 21 September – 10am Hosted by Nicola Chamberlain and Bryony Smith, Relationship Managers at Thrive.

Thrive: mental wellbeing demo showcasing how you can easily fit wellbeing into your schedule. This session will cover a range of sessions in the app that can help support your wellbeing from just a few minutes per day.

Missed a webinar? Watch all previous recordings here.

Try out the THRIVE app! The app provides you with the tools to manage your mental wellbeing, empowering you to understand your emotions, differentiate between helpful and unhelpful thoughts and be the best you can be.

To access the app, download it from App Store, Google Play or the website and use your work email address as the username. The access code is T21201.

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OUR

Jersey Public Service Awards 2022 It’s that time of year again when we celebrate Our Stars within Jersey’s public service, and you may have already seen or even attended some of the departmental celebrations that took place. Our goal this year was to carry on the momentum from 2021 and celebrate even more great achievements from colleagues across the organisation. 2022 proved to be a record-breaking year with 1,400 nominations from across all departments – a staggering increase from the 426 nominations the year before.

This year, we encouraged departments to hold local celebrations for all their nominees and the judging was split into two stages. Departmental judging panels had the difficult task of shortlisting

IHE local celebration

their nominees with a maximum of five candidates for each award category going forward to the next stage of judging. The corporate judging panels were made up of Director Generals, last year’s winners, runners up and highly commended nominees, as well as subject matter experts - with a separate judging panel for each award.

We announced our finalists in July, and from this group of colleagues we’ll reveal our winners, runners up and highly commended colleagues at the awards ceremony on 13 October.

If you’d like to find out who made it into the final of this year’s Our Stars Awards, you can see the list of finalists here.

CLS local celebration

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Help keep Jersey’s countryside beautiful, leaving it undamaged and litter free for others to enjoy just as you have.

For more information visit gov.je/CountrysideCodes

See previous issues of breathe here: breathe

E: wellbeing@gov.je AXA Portal Technical Support: 01323 436727 Employee Assistance Programme: 0800 072 7 072 (24/7 support)

JAN 22 #2

Our Community, Our Island: My experience as a RNLI volunteer by Paul Martin, page 3 Concerned about your health? Expert help, anytime of the day from AXA Health, page 2

Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, “It could save your life… like it saved mine”, pages 7-8

Jan 22

Wellbeing Contact Details

Feb/Mar 22 Apr/May 22

Jun/Jul 22

Please get in touch if you would like to share your stories, or have any ideas on what could feature in future issues of Breathe.